Brookfield budget vote is Tuesday

Nanci G. Hutson

Updated 11:44 pm, Monday, May 19, 2014

BROOKFIELD -- Interest in the 2014-15 budget process has been high this year, with a deep divide between fiscal conservatives who want to keep taxes and spending low, and education supporters frustrated over what they consider inadequate funding for the school district.

On Tuesday, taxpayers and the town's 9,696 registered voters will have a chance to cast their ballots for both the town and school budgets.

This year, they are subject to separate votes, although both must pass to avoid a Board of Finance review and second referendum. The total proposed budget is $60.4 million, with $38.5 million for the schools.

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At a glance2014-15 proposed budget: $60.4 million -- $21.82 million for municipal operations and $38.58 million for education. Vote on each.Registered voters: 9,696. Nonregistered residents who pay more than $1,000 in taxes can also vote.Polling times and places: 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Brookfield High School or Huckleberry Elementary School.

Phil Kurtz, Republican Board of Finance chairman, said this is a solid budget that was fully vetted by the town's top three elected boards, and although some would prefer more dollars for either municipal or education services, it is one he hopes will pass.

He said the belief of the town boards was that "slow and steady" made better economic sense than to do more than taxpayers can handle at this time.

Throughout all of the deliberations, Kurtz said, the bottom line was to consider how to do what needs to be done and "accommodate everyone's pocketbook."

First Selectman Bill Tinsley has said budgets are a lesson in compromise, and that this one strikes a solid balance.

More than 450 people attended the town meeting on the proposed budget, a notable turnout with a lot of passion and some dissension.

The majority of dissenters were education supporters, many disturbed that the schools' increase was just slightly above the current budget of $38.3 million, when municipal service spending is slated to increase by about 6 percent.

Agreeing that the school budget did not get funded as it should, Ron Jaffe, Democratic Town Committee vice chairman, said he still hopes the budget passes on the first vote because it is highly unlikely that money will be added if it fails.

"An incredibly large group of people were not listened to, and there will be consequences of this budget that will play out this year in the school system," said Jaffee, who until the last election was a Board of Finance member.

If it does pass, however, Jaffe said he would not want the Board of Selectmen or Board of Finance to see that as "either a mandate or an endorsement.''

"This is the best we can do at this time, and we need to move forward," he said.